Portuguese Airport Strikes Over New Year: Workers’ Futures Hang in the Balance
As travelers worldwide prepare to welcome 2026, those planning to fly through Portuguese airports during the New Year holiday face potential disruptions. Ground handlers employed by SPdH/Menzies (formerly known as Groundforce) have announced a strike scheduled for December 31, 2025, and January 1, 2026. This industrial action, called by the Aviation and Airport Workers’ Union (Sitava) and the Handling, Aviation and Airport Workers’ Union (STHAA), comes at one of the busiest travel periods of the year. While the strike will proceed, Portugal’s arbitration court has mandated that certain minimum services must be maintained throughout the walkout, ensuring that critical operations continue despite the labor dispute.
At the heart of this conflict lies deep-seated concern about job security among the approximately 3,700 SPdH/Menzies employees. Around 2,000 of these workers face an uncertain future due to ongoing ground handling license tenders. According to a preliminary report by Portugal’s National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), the Clece/South consortium currently leads in this tender process, raising anxieties about potential job losses or changed working conditions once licenses change hands. Though the government has extended existing licenses until May 2026, this temporary measure hasn’t alleviated workers’ concerns. Union representatives are demanding written guarantees that jobs will be protected regardless of which company ultimately secures the ground handling contracts.
The court-mandated minimum service requirements will help mitigate some of the strike’s impact on travelers. Essential operations that must continue uninterrupted include ground handling for state and military flights, emergency services, humanitarian missions, and rescue operations. Additionally, the ruling ensures that safety-critical functions involving aircraft, installations, and passengers will be maintained throughout the strike period. Perhaps most importantly for holiday travelers, at least one flight connecting mainland Portugal with its autonomous regions (likely the Azores and Madeira) must operate during the strike, providing a lifeline for those needing to reach these destinations during the New Year holiday.
This labor dispute highlights the broader challenges facing airport workers globally as the aviation industry continues to evolve. Ground handling services – which include baggage processing, aircraft cleaning, passenger assistance, and various other essential airport functions – often operate on competitive contract systems that can prioritize cost savings over workforce stability. For the thousands of employees at SPdH/Menzies, the uncertainty surrounding the tender process represents more than just corporate restructuring; it threatens their livelihoods and family security entering a new year. The unions’ demands reflect a fundamental desire for transparency and job protection in an industry where workers increasingly feel vulnerable to market forces beyond their control.
For travelers planning to fly through Portuguese airports during the New Year celebration, this strike serves as a reminder of how labor issues can impact holiday plans. While minimum services will be maintained, passengers should anticipate potential delays, reduced services, and possible flight cancellations, particularly for connections not protected under the court’s minimum service ruling. Travel experts recommend that passengers maintain regular contact with their airlines for the most up-to-date information, arrive at airports earlier than usual, and consider flexible travel arrangements where possible. Travel insurance that specifically covers strikes could provide an additional safety net for those whose plans might be disrupted.
As 2025 draws to a close, this situation in Portugal encapsulates a tension playing out across various sectors worldwide – the balance between operational efficiency and worker security. For the ground handlers preparing to strike, the holiday period represents not just a time for celebration but a critical opportunity to voice their concerns when their leverage is greatest. For the Portuguese aviation authorities and government, the challenge lies in maintaining a competitive airport system while ensuring fair treatment of workers who keep these vital transportation hubs functioning. And for travelers caught in the middle, the situation serves as a reminder that behind the scenes of our seamless global travel experiences are thousands of workers whose labor makes modern aviation possible – workers now fighting for their place in the industry’s future.
